Local News

Law radio will have temporary gaps

County working on new radio system

By Dan Barker

Times News Editor

Posted:
01/29/2014 10:18:19 AM MST

The Board of Morgan County Commissioners and members of the Morgan County Communications Center Board heard about a new law enforcement records system Tuesday. It could be used for county officers and dispatchers. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

A gap in police radio will take place once Weld and Adams counties withdraw their radio sharing from Morgan County — although that gap will be filled as soon as the equipment is available.

Weld and Adams counties had shared their systems on a tower within Morgan County, but they decided to create their own self-contained system.

That has meant the Morgan County Communications Center has had to plan to replace the law enforcement radio coverage in the north and west sides of the county.

With the help of a Division of Local Affairs grant, the county is ready to replace that coverage, but that will take a while after the former coverage is gone, said MCCC Director Danette Martin during the MCCC Board meeting Tuesday.

She said that mobile coverage — which means radios in law enforcement vehicles — should be pretty good, but portable coverage — handheld radios — will not be able to receive communications very often.

The price for replacing the coverage and upgrading the center's radio system — which is another project the center is working on — has dropped to $1.1 million from an earlier estimate of $1.7 million, Martin said.

Of course, since the grant was tied to the original estimate, it will probably be lowered, too, she said.

Martin told the board she expects the contracts for the work to be signed in March and the work done this spring.

Earlier in the day, board members and the Board of Morgan County Commissioners listened to a proposal to replace the county's police record system with what was called an "integrated public safety software" system, which would be more high tech.

It would allow officers to see photos of suspects and those who have warrants out on them, which helps with police safety. They could do that even from a law enforcement vehicle computer.

A state training group will offer education on the digital truck system, which will replace the old statewide system, Martin said.

That will also be a chance to learn about how funding will work in creating the system, she said.

The board also heard that the center bought a new server at a cost of $31,303, which reflects a savings of $6,300 by having center employees install it themselves, said Pat Morgan, informations system manager for the center.

The center also had to buy a new printer at a cost of $356. Having a printer that prints off information from every 911 call is mandated, she said.